plow

[ plou ]
See synonyms for: plowplowedplowableplower on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. an agricultural implement used for cutting, lifting, turning over, and partly pulverizing soil.

  2. any of various implements resembling or suggesting this, as a kind of plane for cutting grooves or a contrivance for clearing away snow from a road or track.

  1. Type Founding. (formerly) an instrument for cutting the groove in the foot of type.

  2. Bookbinding. a device for trimming the edges of the leaves by hand.

  3. (initial capital letter)Astronomy.

    • the constellation Ursa Major.

    • the Big Dipper.

verb (used with object)
  1. to turn up (soil) with a plow.

  2. to make (a furrow) with a plow.

  1. to tear up, cut into, or make a furrow, groove, etc. in (a surface) with or as if with a plow (often followed by up): The tractor plowed up an acre of trees.

  2. to clear by the use of a plow, especially a snowplow (sometimes followed by out): The city's work crews were busily plowing the streets after the blizzard.

  3. to invest, as capital (often followed by into): to plow several hundred million into developing new oil fields.

  4. to reinvest or reutilize (usually followed by back): to plow profits back into new plants and equipment.

  5. (of a ship, boat, animal, etc.)

    • to cleave the surface of (the water): beavers plowing the pond.

    • to make (a way) or follow (a course) in this manner: The yacht plowed an easterly course through the choppy Atlantic.

  6. Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse with.

verb (used without object)
  1. to till the soil or work with a plow.

  2. to take plowing in a specified way: land that plows easily.

  1. to move forcefully through something in the manner of a plow (often followed by through, into, along, etc.): The cop plowed through the crowd, chasing after the thief. The car plowed into our house.

  2. to proceed in a slow, laborious, and steady manner (often followed by through): The researcher plowed through a pile of reports.

  3. to move through water by cleaving the surface: a ship plowing through a turbulent sea.

Verb Phrases
  1. plow under,

    • to bury under soil by plowing.

    • to cause to disappear; force out of existence; overwhelm: Many mom-and-pop groceries have been plowed under by the big chain stores.

Origin of plow

1
before 1100; Middle English plouh, plugh(e), plough(e), Old English plōh; cognate with German Pflug plow
  • Also especially British, plough .

Other words from plow

  • plow·a·ble, adjective
  • plow·a·bil·i·ty, noun
  • plower, noun
  • o·ver·plow, verb
  • re·plow, verb (used with object), re·plowed, re·plow·ing.
  • subplow, noun
  • sub·plow, verb
  • un·plow·a·ble, adjective
  • un·plowed, adjective
  • well-plowed, adjective

Words Nearby plow

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use plow in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for plow

plow

/ (plaʊ) /


noun, verb
  1. the usual US spelling of plough

Derived forms of plow

  • plower, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012